Ninja Creami Vanilla Ice Cream — Cream Cheese Base
I made two Ninja Creami vanilla base custards and churned both, just to see which one tasted better and was the creamiest. The ice cream with a bit of cream cheese in it, just 1 tablespoon per pint, was far creamier and far richer tasting than the base with no cream cheese.
This post may contain affiliate link(s). As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. See Disclosure.
This easy Ninja Creami Vanilla Ice Cream is the perfect flavor for all your favorite mix-ins, but it’s also a great launching pad for other flavors like strawberry, chocolate, or whatever fancy ice cream your brain can conjure up.
Chef Jenn’s Recipe Notes
Cream cheese is the secret weapon here. Just 1 tablespoon turns a milky vanilla base into something that tastes genuinely rich and closer to French vanilla than plain vanilla. I did a side-by-side test and the difference was obvious from the first spoonful, which is why I haven’t made a Creami vanilla base without it since.
Use full-fat cream cheese only. Low-fat versions have more water in them and the texture suffers for it. The same goes for the sugar; use powdered, not granulated. Granulated doesn’t fully dissolve in a cold base, and you’ll end up with a gritty texture after spinning, which is a disappointing way to end an 8-hour freeze.
If your ice cream comes out icy or crumbly after the first spin, don’t panic. Add 1 teaspoon of milk or cream and run the Re-Spin cycle. That almost always fixes it. If the base froze unevenly, that’s usually a leveling issue; make sure the pint sits flat in the freezer from the start.
This base is also a launching pad for almost any flavor. Pull out 2-3 tablespoons before freezing and swap in whatever you’re working with: cocoa powder for chocolate, strawberry puree, crushed cookies, a spoonful of peanut butter. The cream cheese base holds up to mix-ins better than a plain milk-and-cream base because the texture is more stable after spinning.
Ingredients
- Cream cheese – Use a good brand of whole fat cream cheese for the best texture.
- Whole milk – Use cow’s milk. I haven’t tested this recipe with other milks.
- Heavy whipping cream – You can use half and half but it won’t be nearly as creamy or rich tasting.
- Powdered sugar – You don’t need more than this. We already eat way too much sugar.
- Vanilla extract – I used artificial vanilla and it was just fine.
- Salt – I use kosher salt for the most pure salt flavor.
How to Make Ninja Creami Vanilla Ice Cream Base
Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.
Melt the cream cheese in a microwave-safe bowl on high for 5-10 seconds or until just softened. Be careful, it’ll splatter everywhere.
Mix in the milk, cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt, and whisk until the salt is dissolved.
Transfer the custard base to the Ninja Creami pint container for freezing. Freeze for 6-8 hours or overnight.
Remove the lid from the frozen pint and fit it into the Ninja Creami. Press the Ice Cream setting, then add a teaspoon of milk or cream and respin it on the respin cycle.
Serve and enjoy!
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Use powdered sweetener instead of granulated sugar to avoid graininess.
- Always freeze the pint completely solid on a level surface before spinning.
- Add liquid only in small amounts during Re-Spin to avoid melting the base.
- This base works for almost any flavor; just remove 2–3 tablespoons of base before adding mix-ins.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this vanilla base as-is, or use it as a foundation for mix-ins like crushed cookies, fruit swirls, chocolate chips, or caramel. It pairs well with brownies, fruit crisps, or warm desserts where a rich vanilla ice cream really shines.
Storage
Store the ice cream in the Ninja Creami pint with the lid tightly sealed for up to 2 weeks.
If the ice cream freezes very firm, let it sit at room temperature for 5 minutes or re-spin using the Re-Spin or Lite Ice Cream cycle with a teaspoon of milk.
Frequently Asked Questions
Stick with full-fat block cream cheese. Whipped cream cheese has air and stabilizers in it that throw off the texture, and low-fat versions add water to the base. Either one will give you a less creamy result, which defeats the whole point of adding cream cheese in the first place.
Half and half will work in a pinch but the ice cream will be noticeably less rich and may come out icier after spinning. I wouldn’t go lower than half and half — skim or 2% milk alone won’t give you a scoopable texture.
I haven’t tested a dairy-free version of this specific base, so I can’t vouch for results. The cream cheese is doing structural work here, not just flavor, so a straight swap isn’t guaranteed to behave the same way.
The Ninja Creami spins one pint at a time, so doubling just means making two pints. Mix a double batch, divide it between two pint containers, and freeze both. They keep well, so it’s worth making extras.
Best Ninja Creami Vanilla Base with Cream Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon cream cheese
- ¾ cup whole milk
- ¾ cup heavy whipping cream
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 salt pinch
Instructions
- Soften the cream cheese in a microwave-safe bowl for 5 to 10 seconds until pliable.
- Whisk the cream cheese with whole milk, heavy cream, powdered sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until completely smooth.
- Pour the mixture into a Ninja Creami pint container and freeze on a level surface for 6 to 8 hours or overnight until fully solid.
- Run the Ice Cream cycle in the Ninja Creami.
- Add 1 teaspoon milk or cream and run the Re-Spin cycle until smooth.
- Serve immediately or freeze briefly for a firmer texture.
Notes
Chef Jenn’s Tips
- Use powdered sweetener instead of granulated sugar to avoid graininess.
- Always freeze the pint completely solid on a level surface before spinning.
- Add liquid only in small amounts during Re-Spin to avoid melting the base.
- This base works for almost any flavor; just remove 2–3 tablespoons of base before adding mix-ins.
Nutrition
A Note on Nutritional Information
Nutritional information for this recipe is provided as a courtesy and is calculated based on available online ingredient information. It is only an approximate value. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site cannot be guaranteed.